in 2007, thurber advised then senator obama, who championed sweeping lobby reform. >> big money and lobbyists were clearly drowning out the aspirations of the american people. >> reporter: lobbyist jake abrahm off had just gone to prison for cheating clients and bribing congress. lawmakers passed new reforms that required strict public disclosure of lobbying activities and limited the gifts and trips lobbyists can buy from members of congress. today thurber has some surprising words about president obama. >> president obama in his campaign in 2008 said he was going to change the way washington works. >> i will launch the most sweeping ethics reform in history to make the white house the people's house and send the washington lobbyists back to k street. ( applause ) >> he hasn't. he's failed. because if you want to get a piece of legislation like his health care piece through, you have to bring in big interests. he did. he brought in a.a.r.p., he brought in hospital associations, he brought in the a.m.a. in a coalition to support that. >> reporter: increasingly lobbyists aren't just influencin